NTPC projects in WB Bihar and Orissa worst hit by coal shortage - CEA

Wednesday, 02 Nov 2011

Press Trust of India reported that state run NTPC's power projects in West Bengal, Bihar and Orissa are the worst affected in the eastern region due to the ongoing coal supply crisis as actual generation at these plants is much lower than targeted.

A Central Electricity Authority official said “Problem in the eastern region power plants of NTPC is mainly due to coal shortage and coal handling problems,"

He told “Eastern Coalfields is supplying coal to NTPC's eastern region plants. Coal transportation, which is through railways, is a problem, therefore, the hiccups.”

The coal at these project sites is supplied by Eastern Coalfields Ltd, a subsidiary of state owned Coal India.

(Sourced from PTI)

Adhunik Metalliks to start iron ore pellet plant in Jharkhand

Sunday, 23 Oct 2011

TNN reported that Adhunik Metalliks Ltd will start its new pellet plant at Kandra in Seraikela on October 24.

The 1.2 million tonne per annum plant, built in record time by Orissa Manganese and Minerals Ltd, a subsidiary unit of Adhunik Group, is set up with an investment of INR 500 crores.

Mr said MD Manoj Agarwal MD said “We will enhance the production capacity of pellet plant to 2 million tonne per annum in the next 20 months with adequate investment.”

sourced TOI

POSCO agrees for not exporting iron ore

Sunday, 14 Aug 2011

BS reported that even as POSCO India is yet to submit a written response on the draft prepared for renewal of MoU with the Orissa government, the company is understood to have raised certain reservations over the omission of the iron ore swapping clause in the revised pact.

While POSCO has verbally agreed not to export iron ore from Orissa, the steel maker has requested the state government to allow it to swap high alumina content iron ore found in Khandadhar mines with high grade ore of any other firm including state owned Orissa Mining Corporation within the state.

A mines department official familiar with the development said that "POSCO India is yet to submit its written reply to our draft MoU. However, the company, during discussions with the state government officials, has agreed to our other conditions including adhering to the employment clause and promoting ancillary industries around the mother plant.”

The Orissa’s state chief secretary Mr BK Patnaik maintained that POSCO India is yet to submit any written response in connection with the renewal of the MoU that lapsed on June 21 last year.

Despite commitments from top officials of the state government, the renewal of MoU with POSCO India had suffered an inordinate delay. The state government had jumped three of its stipulated deadlines in the road to renewal of the pact.

(Sourced from BS)

JSPL to use new smelting tech in J'khand, Orissa

Aug 7, 2011
By Sanjay OjhaSanjay Ojha, TNN

RANCHI: The Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) for the first time will use a technology for smelting iron ore fines by directly using non-coking coal in its upcoming plants in Jharkhand and Orissa.

Of the two upcoming integrated steel plants of the company, one will be of six million tonne per annum (MTPA) capacity at Angul in Orissa and the other will be of three MTPA at Patratu in Jharkhand.

The technology will not only be cost-effective but will also offer significant environmental benefits to the steel industry. It is developed by Australian major Rio Tinto and will be used in India at the JSPL's steel plants in Jharkhand and Orissa. The technology known as HIsmelt (high intensity smelting) will be used in a fully integrated steel making facility.

Assistant vice-president of the JSPL A K Biruly said, "We will be introducing HIsmelt technology for the first time at our plants in Jharkhand and Orissa. The technology is for direct smelting process for making iron straight from the ore. It smelts iron ore fines directly using non-coking coals and offers significant economic and environmental benefits to the steel industry."

He said the MoU for use of this new technology was recently signed by JSPL chairman-cum-managing director Naveen Jindal and chief executive of Rio Tinto Sam Walsh.

According to sources in the JSPL, HIsmelt process is the future for iron making, particularly in locations where coking coal and good quantity of iron ore lumps are not available.

"In India, most of the steel makers are dependent on high quality imported cocking coal. Once the technology starts using iron ore fines and non-coking coal, we will be able to save the environment also because huge amount of iron ore fines go waste every years," said a source. (TOI)

India's Vedanta to acquire coal mines in overseas

Tuesday, 08 March 11

India's Vedanta group is also looking at long-term off take agreements and possible acquire of coal mines overseas, the official said during 10th Anniversary Coaltrans India conference in The Taj Palace Hotel, New Delhi, India.

Vedanta is planning to import one million tons of coal to blend with Indian coal to feed its 2,400-MW power plant in Orissa, India. The IPP will supply power to Vedanta's aluminium plant.

Coaltrans conference in India was attended by hundreds of coal suppliers, coal consumers, coal traders and logistic services companies. The conference will continue tomorrow.

Tags: coal traders, logistic services companies